Western Labour Recruitment and Resettlement Policies explores how Western countries responded to post-war displacement by linking refugee resettlement with labour needs. After 1945, many displaced persons in Europe still needed a permanent future. Britain, Canada, Australia and the United States accepted selected displaced persons, but their policies often reflected both humanitarian concern and national self-interest. This worksheet helps students understand how resettlement offered safety and opportunity, while also revealing the limits of selective immigration.

What students will learn

Students will:

• Understand how Western labour recruitment became part of the response to displacement after the Second World War.
• Examine how Britain, Canada, Australia and the United States used resettlement policies to meet labour shortages.
• Explore why governments often preferred displaced persons who were young, healthy, able to work and seen as suitable for settlement.
• Consider the humanitarian, economic and political motives behind Western resettlement policies.
• Analyse source content, source context and perspectives in line with IBDP History Paper 1 expectations.
• Develop a balanced judgement on whether Western labour recruitment and resettlement policies were effective but selective.

What’s included:

• Student worksheet on Western labour recruitment and resettlement policies.
• Clear historical context suitable for IBDP History students.
• Sections on Britain, Canada, Australia and the United States.
• Source A, Source B and Source C for Paper 1-style practice.
• Explain, analyse and examine questions using the 2026 command terms.
• Class discussion prompt on selection, fairness and humanitarian responsibility.
• Table activity on humanitarian aims, economic aims and limitations.
• Written judgement task.
• Teacher answer sheet with bullet-point guidance.
• Optional lined response pages for student answers.

This resource is particularly useful for:

• IB DP History – Paper 1: Sources and Perspectives
• 2026 IBDP History Guide, first assessment 2028
• Focused Study 4: Conflict and Displacement
  • Inquiry question: What was the national and international response to displacement?
  • Post-war displacement in Europe, 1945–1960
  • Source skills: explaining content, analysing context and examining perspectives

Western Labour Recruitment and Resettlement Policies gives teachers a ready-to-use worksheet that supports source analysis, critical thinking and clear historical judgement without needing to build the lesson from scratch.

Other Lessons you may like: